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CAF Champions League: Crunch clash for Zamalek

Egyptian Cup winners Zamalek will be in buoyant mood ahead of their vital CAF Champions League clash against Group A leaders TP Mazembe.

Published

23 July 2014

Mido's side sit bottom of the group after three games, three points adrift of Sunday's visitors, but enter the match filled with confidence after they won their 23rd Egyptian Cup title last weekend, beating Smouha 1-0.

The victory led to coach Mido withdrawing the resignation that he tendered after his team lost the league title to fierce rivals Al Ahly, suffering defeat to Smouha in the Championship Round.

After the triumph, Zamalek club chairman Mortada Mansour claimed that he had always supported his 31-year-old coach.

"To those who were criticising the board for failing to win the league, I would like to say that our decision to keep Mido at the helm contributed to our triumph today," Mansour told Abu Dhabi Sports TV.

"After losing to Smouha in the league, Mido told me he wanted to step down, but I insisted that he should continue as Zamalek coach despite our poor results in the Champions League and the domestic league.

"We have a democratic system, through which every member voices his opinion and then I ignore all of them and make my own decision."

Also in Group A, Vita Club and Al Hilal Omdurman - locked on four points piece - meet in Sudan, having drawn 1-1 in June.

ES Setif are the only unbeaten team in the competition but the Group B leaders face a tough trip to Al Ahli Benghazi, who earned a share of the spoils in the reverse fixture in Algeria last month.

Elsewhere, CS Faxien, who are just one point behind Setif, host fellow Tunisian side and 2011 winners ES Tunis.